This is a locational name from the village of Breedan, Near Ashby de La Zouch, or Bredon, near Tewkesbury in Worcester, both names being pronounced the same. The name is Olde English pre 9th century 'Brere-dun' and means 'The dweller on the Briar Covered Hill', and would have usually been given to the Squire of the Village (as in the case with the first recording) or to a former inhabitant who moved to another area. There are five modern spellings Breedan, Breadan, Breeden, Briddon and Bridden. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Ralph de Bredon which was dated 1273, The Pipe Rolls of Leicester during the reign of King Edward I, The Hammer of the Scots, 1272 - 1307 Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.